Jack Bedell,
MontrealAlouettes.com
Hammond, LA – Next Friday, 50 of Canada’s top football prospects will have a chance to show off their abilities in front of CFL coaches and front office personnel at the league’s annual Evaluation Camp in preparation for the 2009 CFL Canadian Draft.
With well over 700 players eligible for this year’s draft, these players’ E-camp performances will be absolutely critical to their chances of being selected.
Out of the pack of athletes invited to Toronto for the camp, several have ties to Quebec football. Here’s a quick look at the top five local players I’ll be keeping my eye on:
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1) Jamall Lee (6’1”, 215 lbs., RB, Bishop’s): A first-team All-Canadian and all-conference selection with great size and speed. Lee should be a real force in the league soon, the proverbial ratio-buster. |
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2) Étienne Légaré (6’4”, 265 lbs., DL, Laval): A conference All-Star and East-West Bowl participant, Légaré is a solid defensive lineman, is strong against the run and is disruptive in the backfield against the pass. He might need to put on a little weight to make a real impact in the CFL, but he’s still a can’t-miss prospect. |
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3) Anthony Lukca (5’9”, 186 lbs., DB, McGill): A QUFL All-Star, Lucka led the CIS in tackles in 2007 and was second in 2008. He should see the field immediately on special teams and might challenge for a little playing time on defence depending on where he’s drafted. |
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4) Mathieu Brossard (6’4”, 245 lbs., DE, Montreal): An excellent athlete with good quickness and exceptional strength for his size, Brossard’s bread and butter is defending the run. If he can show decent facility off the edge as a pass rusher at the evaluation camp, he should go fairly high in the draft. |
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5) Vincent Turgeon (6’4”, 295 lbs., OL, Laval): An All-Canadian, All-QUFL selection with good hands and great technique for a big man, Turgeon definitely has the goods to play at the next level. I’ll be shocked if he’s not selected in the first half of the draft. |
This year’s CFL draft is as deep as I’ve seen in years, and catching a team’s eye might be more difficult than ever at this year’s E-camp. These five players, however, should come out of the weekend in great shape and headed toward bright futures in the league.
